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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960673">Murder at Midnight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantra35/pseuds/Enchantra35'>Enchantra35</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>League of Legends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Brutal Murder, Crime Scenes, F/F, Implied Relationships, Investigations, Murder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:54:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,134</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantra35/pseuds/Enchantra35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Caitlyn and Vi investigate a crime scene.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caitlyn/Vi (League of Legends)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Murder at Midnight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div>
  <p>"Will you please tell me where exactly we are going?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Impatient as Vi was, she didn't quite enjoy the anticipation and the mystery surrounded her superior's behavior. It wasn't often that Caitlyn would drag her along to a crime scene without debriefing her first. Preparation was key for the sheriff, and this seemed very inappropriate for her, almost out of character. Silence usually covered some sort of annoyance, silence that didn't match with the enforcer's natural curiosity.<br/>Caitlyn kept a firm hold on the vehicle's wheel, eyes pressed in a thin line, her crystal blue eyes focused on the street.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Y'know I'm all in for surprises, but not when it comes to this," Vi continued. She had a reputation for being impulsive, certainly, but she hated being dragged into unknown situations. "You keep it up and I'll start thinking you're mad at me."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm not mad," Caitlyn spoke for the first time. "Not at you."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Well, that's a relief," Vi retorted. "Since you're willing to talk to me, can you <em>at least</em> tell me what on earth are we doing heading all the way to the upper city?" </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Vi's observation was quite precise. They were indeed heading towards the higher levels of Piltover, which they didn't often do, because there was rarely any crime there. Caitlyn had her main focus on the lower levels where crime was still thriving, despite the government's best efforts to pretend like this wasn't a fact. Vi was well aware of it, which was why she found it peculiar that they were going there.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Caitlyn sighed. "An elderly man named Byron Blackburn is reported missing. The neighbors haven't seen him for a couple of days and they called the Wardens to report his disappearance."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Vi raised an eyebrow. "How do we know he isn't ill or something?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"One of the neighbors claimed that they heard a scream on the night of Tuesday. This activity is suspicious enough to enact an investigation."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I see." Vi nodded, but something wasn't sitting with her. "But Cait, I thought we were gonna focus on those chem barons that have been trafficking illegal chemicals near Zaun. You refused to take up any new cases until we finished that assignment."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Blackburn was a renowned inventor in his youth. My father knew him quite well. They had worked together a couple of times before Blackburn retired. My father, who somehow heard about his disappearance, requested that… I am personally involved with this case," Caitlyn explained. She was usually in control of her emotions, but right now she didn't make any efforts to hide her annoyance. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I don't see the issue here," said Vi. "Your dad seems to be worried about his friends and he wants someone capable to deal with it."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Caitlyn huffed. "As sweet as this sounds, this is not the case. My father never does anything without having a higher purpose. In this case, it's to increase his influence, to prove that he acquires all the right connections. It's a matter of power, not a matter of friendship."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That's… well, that's fucked up, as simply as I can set this," Vi commented.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It's the sad truth, I'm afraid," Caitlyn said. "It's quite ironic, if you think about it. My mother always warned me about the seductions and the gilded promises of this city that can potentially harden the kindest heart, yet her own husband became a victim of said promises. Money and fame really got to his head. We're talking about the same man who reinforced his daughter with the ideas of right and wrong…" she trailed off.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her relationship with her father had always been a sensitive issue to discuss. Theodore Fitzwilliam, once a profound engineer, hadn't touched hextech in almost a decade, choosing to create a public profile for his family. His wife Elizabeth on the other hand had no interest in participating in the higher society of Piltover. She knew better than that. Instead, she chose to focus on her inventions, away from all the glamor Theodore loved so much. The distance between them had significantly increased throughout the years. She was disappointed to see that their kidnapping had almost been forgotten by her husband, in favor of recognition. She hoped he would know better than to be this shallow. She had tried to speak some sense into him, but he wouldn't listen. His only somewhat rational claim was that the more powerful they were, the more safe they were from getting attacked from an antagonizing clan again. Caitlyn was quick to distance herself from such ignorant views. No power came without corruption or greed, and her father was no exception to that rule.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Why didn't you just refuse? You know you don't have to do what your father tells you," Vi posed an excellent question. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I cannot ignore a call of distress," Caitlyn admitted. "But if this turns out to be way more time consuming than it has to be, I'm assigning this to someone else. I already have too much weight on my shoulders with the chem barons as it is."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You're right," Vi agreed, knowing how hard Caitlyn had been working on that particular assignment the past few weeks.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Their trip didn't last more than half an hour since their departure from the Hall of Law. Caitlyn pulled over outside of a tall, red house with marble pillars holding the front porch. The garden was even bigger than the house itself, with trees and flowers laid around the grass. The house looked clean and neat, like any other building in the vicinity. The buildings in the upper city were so much different from the cramped blocks of flats in the lower levels. Here lavish, enormous villas, manors and estates laid around, all belonging to important personalities, such as engineers, investors and politicians. Caitlyn's family never was that rich, but she had been raised in a similar neighborhood. Byron Blackburn's house wasn't the bigger they had encountered on their way there either, but it was obvious he had made himself a fortune. He didn't have a family, children or any pets and he lived alone, as far as Caitlyn was concerned. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The two partners walked their way across the garden. It was quite beautiful there, a perfect place to settle after retirement. It was peaceful and quiet there, a nice place to grow old in. She knew for a fact Vi would never like it here; it was way too quiet for her liking. When they reached the porch, Caitlyn rang the bell and the door was answered by a young man. He had jet black hair and eyes with clothes in matching colors. His skin was in stark contrast with his appearance as he looked pale. Caitlyn assumed he was a butler of some sorts. She showed him her ID card, introducing them with perfect suavity and explaining to him why they were there in the first place. The butler was kind, inviting them inside. He explained briefly that the shriek the neighbors had heard the other day was his in a dream.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Mr Blackburn is currently absent, traveling as far as the springs of Ionia. His arthritis is getting worse each year," he said. "This is all nothing but a misunderstanding, but please do feel free to search the house."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Everything seemed too conveniently arranged for Caitlyn's liking. She definitely wasn't going to pass on the opportunity to investigate what could potentially be a crime scene. "How long have you been working for Mr Blackburn, Mr…?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Zachariah Bennet," the butler introduced himself. "I've been working for Mr Blackburn for the past five years."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I see." Caitlyn nodded. "I hope you wouldn't mind if we had a look around."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Of course not." The butler bowed. "This way, please."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He led them through the various rooms of the house. Despite it not being as big as the buildings surrounding it, it definitely was too big for someone who lived alone with his servant. All floors were covered in thick expensive carpets. The living room was also decorated with expensive furniture and the walls were covered in paintings, just like the hall of the first floor. The dining room had a clean, long, oak dining table that could fit several guests. A door led to the kitchen in the basement through a set of stone stairs. Then, the butler led them upstairs. There were several rooms, but only two of them were used. He first opened the door to the old man's bedroom, where a four-poster bed stood in the middle. Two table stands were placed on each side of the bed. A window on the left faced towards the road and a big wardrobe was on the left. Then, he showed them his own bedroom. It was much more simple and there wasn't much furniture in there, as would be expected from the servant of the house. They had a peak at the bathroom as well, but nothing in the house indicated a crime. The two officers headed back downstairs followed by the butler who ever so kindly spent his time showing them around.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm terribly sorry for this misunderstanding," Mr Bennet said.  "I didn't mean to alarm the neighbors or the Wardens."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"That's quite alright," Vi reassured him. "Not your fault anyway."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>He smiled at her, but there was something eerie in his smile. Caitlyn had sensed a shift in his posture since the moment they entered Mr Blackburn's bedroom. Call it instinct, call it experience, she knew something wasn't right. Everything was too conveniently arranged. Too many coincidences. She didn't like that. There was nothing in any of the rooms they had visited that pointed towards that direction, but she was fairly certain something was missing. And she wasn't going to rest until she found out what it was.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Is that all?" Mr Bennet asked.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No, we're-"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Actually," Caitlyn interrupted. "I would like to have another look around Mr Blackburn's room, if you don't mind."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The butler blinked. "Of course," he said eventually. "This way, please."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'll be right back," Caitlyn told Vi over her shoulder as she followed the butler back upstairs. The enforcer replied with a single nod of her head. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Mr Bennet led her right back to the luxurious bedroom. Caitlyn walked in first, her heels clicking on the wooden floor. There were scratches near the bed, as if someone had moved it, quite recently in fact. How peculiar. She averted her gaze towards the wardrobe. At first glance, it was barely noticeable, but there was a little bit of space between the top of it and the ceiling where a suitcase was stored. Then there was the mattress. It didn't perfectly fit inside the bed frame, as if someone had recently lifted it and then placed it up in a hurry.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The door behind her closed. Caitlyn was startled. She spun around and faced the butler. He was holding a key. His kind expression was replaced with something between agony and pure satisfaction. Caitlyn slowly reached for her rifle but didn't quite pull it off her shoulder, for fear of scaring the man, which could have disastrous results.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "You can hear it too, can't you?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Excuse me?" Caitlyn inquired, </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I know you can hear it, that ringing sound! Why would you come back if you didn't?" He continued. His tone was also different from before. It was like an entirely different person stood before her.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I'm afraid I don't understand," Caitlyn responded. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The butler foamed, raved, swore. "Quit making a mockery of my horror!" he screeched. "I know you can hear <em>it</em> below these planks! How can you not hear the beating of his hideous heart? Dissemble no more, for I admit the deed!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ah, there was the missing piece of the puzzle. Caitlyn knew from the beginning that Mr Blackburn wasn't away traveling. It didn't sit well with her that a man as old as he would travel as far as Ionia. Mr Bennet had made a good effort to create a believable story - only for it to crumble under the weight of his own guilt.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"So, you murdered him," Caitlyn stated matter-of-factly. "But why? Is it because of his fortune?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Oh, no. I never had a desire for his gold." He shook his head. "He was always good to me. I think… I think it was his eye. Yes, it was this! His vulture eye, so similar to yours, sheriff! Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold - exactly how I felt when you showed up at my doorstep. I made up my mind to kill the old man - and rid myself off the evil eye for good."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"You're actually insane," said Caitlyn. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Mr Bennet barked a laugh so dreadful that could cause chills under anyone's spine. "Here's the thing, sheriff; You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me! You should have seen me with how much caution I proceeded. I wasn't any kinder to the old man than I usually was before I killed him. And just about midnight, I would push the handle of his door open - oh so gently. You should have seen me how carefully I thrust my head in! I always had a lantern with me, which I opened just a smidge so I could see the vulture eye. I did this for seven long nights - but the eye was always closed - and I couldn't bring myself to do it."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And then, upon the eighth night, when I opened the door at midnight again, the old man heard the floor screeching. He arose in his bed and I remained perfectly still for an hour. I knew that he had been laying awake ever since the first slight noise. His fears had been ever growing upon him. I felt slightly pity for him. And when I opened the lantern again - just a smidge - there it was! His Evil Eye! The shriek the neighbors heard that night, it was indeed his when I launched himself at him. I drew him to the floor and pulled the heavy bed over him."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And so you killed him," said Caitlyn, trying to keep the conversation going, although it was mostly a monologue. "What did you do to his body?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Don't play fool with me, sheriff. Even if you can't actually hear the beating of his heart, I know your Eye can see him." Mr Bennet accused her, pointing at the planks near the bed. "You came back to make sure it was there."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"If you still think I'm mad, you will not think so any longer when I tell you the wise precautions I took to conceal his body. I worked in silence as I dismembered him and hid him under the floor. I even replaced the planks so no eye - not even his - could detect anything wrong. Alas, I did not consider this; your Eagle Eye!"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>While he was talking, Caitlyn had managed to discreetly draw her rifle. It wasn’t safe to be around this man without any precautions. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Zachariah Bennet, you're under arrest for the murder of Byron Blackburn," Caitlyn announced. "You have the right to remain silent."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"And silent I shall remain, sheriff. But I will not allow my silence to be disturbed by your Evil Eye, I will not!" He whispered in a trembling voice. "I prepared this meticulous plan to get rid of the old man's vulture eye and find my peace. I shall do the same for you." </p>
</div><div>
  <p>With those words, he retrieved a knife. Caitlyn stepped back. His expression was one of madness. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"It's not personal, sheriff," the butler said. "But one cannot find peace when they know they are being watched. I hope you understand."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The truth was, she didn't. But it mattered little, if at all. Caitlyn raised her gun and Bennet prepared to charge, when suddenly the door was broken and it fell on top of him, rendering him unconscious on the spot.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Caitlyn lowered her rifle as Vi walked in, walking over the door she had just smashed. "Hope I'm not too late to the party." She smirked.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Right on time," Caitlyn replied. Before she headed upstairs with Bennet, she had given Vi the cue to be on the alert and have a look around while Caitlyn tried to confirm her theory and keep him distracted at the same time. Apparently, Vi had heard his yelling. It was hard not to. "Did you find anything?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I found a saw hidden in the bathroom. Easy to miss behind the curtains," Vi said. "I don’t suppose that's the murder weapon, right?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Not exactly." Caitlyn gazed at the scratched floor. "Help me pull the bed."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>In fact, Vi didn't need any help moving the bed by herself. When she did, Caitlyn looked at the planks. Kicking the floor, she realized that it was hollow, just as she suspected. After a few moments of examining the wooden planks, she chose the one in the middle and managed to lift it up, revealing its components. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Cogs." Vi grimaced. "What a way to die."</p>
</div><p>Caitlyn placed the plank back down. "We shall call the forensics to clean this mess up."</p>
<p>"What are we going to do with him?" Vi pointed behind her shoulder with one of her ginormous thumbs.</p>
<p>"Let's tie him up. He's dangerous. He could attack us any time," said Caitlyn. </p>
<p>Vi lifted the broken door off his unconscious form and placed it temporarily on the wall while Caitlyn handcuffed the butler after making sure he wasn't seriously injured. They wouldn't know for sure until he woke up, but she wasn’t going to take her chances. She called for backup to pick him up and take him to a nearby hospital to have him examined. A nice cell with his name on it was awaiting. </p>
<p>"So, why did he kill the old man? Was he not being paid enough or something?" Vi asked once Caitlyn had secured that Benner wasn't going to run away once he regained consciousness. </p>
<p>Caitlyn shook her head. "He was obsessed with his eye. I suppose he isn't very fond of blue eyes. He's certainly psychotic and obsessive."</p>
<p>Vi hummed. "Nah. He's just tasteless. Who wouldn't love these beautiful blue eyes of yours?"</p>
<p>Under the darkness of the room, Caitlyn's cheeks were painted slightly pink. "Vi, this is neither the place nor the time to flatter me. A man is dead," she pointed out. </p>
<p>Vi grinned. "Well, too bad for him. I stand corrected, though."</p>
<p>"Remind me why I bring you along in crime scenes."</p>
<p>"To save you from madmen that try to kill you because of your pretty eyes."</p>
<p>"You do realize I had everything under control, right?"</p>
<p>"Keep telling yourself that, cupcake."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just Piltover's Finest solving crimes together. This is heavily inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart". I know that I recently said on my tumblr that I didn't have many ideas for one-shots, but I've been thinking a lot about the "Tell-Tale Heart", mainly because it was one of my favorite texts that we analyzed in my fiction class last semester.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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